A cheap tripod can dramatically improve your project’s production values, as it forces you to think about composing your shot. It also prevents undisciplined shaky-camera work. However, it can be a challenge to use a budget tripod to pan smoothly as you follow the action. It is also difficult to zoom in to objects, especially if you’re filming on an iPhone or a DSLR that lacks an electronic zoom control.

Fortunately, iMovie’s Ken Burns tool enables you to add smooth and accurate camera moves in post-production. This can add new layers of meaning to a static shot as you guide the viewers’ attention to a particular object in the frame. You can also pan to follow moving objects, or zoom out to reveal a subject’s surroundings.